Patients denied hearing aids as a result of NHS rationing are being told to lip read instead.

The first health board in the country yesterday started refusing free devices for people with ‘mild’ hearing problems.

At least four other NHS authorities are considering following suit - on top of the six health bodies across England and Wales which recently started rationing hearing aids to one per person.

North Staffordshire clinical commissioning group yesterday took the unprecedented step of denying hearing aids to people with mild hearing loss.

Patients who are denied hearing aids as a result of NHS rationing are being told to lip read instead

And those with ‘moderate’ hearing loss need to have a test to prove they will fully benefit from the device.

In a leaflet distributed to patients, the board advised that those who were deemed not eligible for an NHS-funded hearing aid should take certain steps to ‘make the best use’ of their hearing.

The leaflet, seen by the Daily Mail, advises people to sits close to relatives to read their lips, to ask people to raise their voice and speak clearly, and to turn down background noise such as televisions.

Health charities last night said they were in a state of ‘utter disbelief’ at the advice - and said that taking away free hearing aids would force people into isolation.

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It is the first time since the NHS was founded in 1948 that people who need a hearing aids cannot get one for free.

Because of its huge purchasing power, a hearing aid costs the NHS as little as £90 each. In comparison, to have a pair of hearing aids fitted privately costs about £3,000.

Around ten million Britons – one in six – suffer from some kind of hearing loss, including half of over-60s.

Two million people have hearing aids fitted, but experts think another four million would benefit.

Paul Breckell, chief executive of Action on Hearing Loss said: ‘Today sees people with hearing loss bearing the brunt of NHS rationing, with the first ever cuts to free hearing aid services on the NHS. ‘It is a very sad day.’

THE LEAFLET'S 'HELPFUL' TIPS

Don’t be embarrassed to tell people of your difficulty in hearing. Ask people to look at you when they speak. Ask them to raise their voice slightly and to speak clearly.

Sit face-to-face with family or friends and watch their lips. This helps you to concentrate on what people are saying.

Be aware of background noise i.e. TV or radio. If you are unable to comfortably have a conversation with someone, turn the volume down or off.

Find a quieter area if you are in a busy environment.

He warned of a ‘domino effect’ in which other commissioning groups follow suit across the country. Four other health bodies - all in the Staffordshire area - are considering taking similar action.

Meanwhile, six NHS trusts and commissioning groups - in Sheffield, Lincolnshire, Kent, Gloucestershire, Swansea and Carmarthen - have limited hearing aids to one per person, for some patients.

And according to Freedom of Information data, 41 per cent of NHS audiology departments are already running a reduced service.

Dr Sue Archbold, chief executive of the Ear Foundation, last night condemned the North Staffordshire decision: ‘I’m just appalled by this policy. ‘There are many clinical commissioning groups who want to follow suit.

‘It will have a huge impact - our population is ageing and hearing loss affects many, many people.’

Referring to the patient advice leaflet, she said: ‘This is simply ageist.’

Nic Wray of the British Tinnitus Association, added: ‘We are in a state of utter disbelief that the CCG believe that their actions and this leaflet is acceptable care.’

North Staffordshire CCG said the new policy will affect 500 people a year, saving the authority £200,000 annually.

Anyone with dementia, learning disability, tinnitus or a raft of other disabilities would be exempt from the new policy.

The authority insists that the decision to reduce the number of hearing aids it distributes is not based on finance, but clinical evidence.

It said that research suggested that people with mild hearing problems did not actually benefit from hearing aids.

It will have a huge impact - our population is ageing and hearing loss affects many, many people

Dr Sue Archbold

But other experts said this was nonsense, Dr Archbold said that the earlier someone receives a hearing aid, the better they perform.

And Mr Breckell added: ‘North Staffordshire need to stop playing fast and loose with the evidence as a cover for cuts.’

Marcus Warnes, chief operating officer of the North Staffordshire CCG, said: ‘We have created a policy that seeks to ensure that hearing aids are prescribed appropriately for those individuals who absolutely need hearing aids.

‘At the same time, we are keen to ensure that certain individuals and groups are not negatively affected by this policy.

‘A mild hearing loss is defined as typically where an individual may have difficulty following some speech in a noisy situation due to background noise.’

‘[The leaflet] was shared with our strategic patient group and amendments were made to it in line with their comments, including comments made from hearing aid wearers who were a part of that group.'

Wendy Saviour, North Midlands commissioning director for NHS England, said: ‘This policy only affects those people with mild to moderate hearing loss and specifically excludes people affected by hearing loss with other conditions such as hearing loss since childhood, tinnitus or dementia.’